Floofs
by Kalira69
Summary: Wherein Shiro brings home a fluffball with hopeful eyes and Keith is weak. (Also they are both bad at naming things.) (Domestic AU.) Cats & Dogs, Living Together, #1
1. Kitten

I believe I began this after I drafted the first pieces of Kuro-angst for Repudiated when I felt the need for some fluffs. It sort of snowballed from there as the original idea was just 'Shiro brings home a kitten'. (I say snowballed because there's a chapter two coming . . . and maybe a couple more stories, making this a series. Whoops?)

Head's up, it's not graphic, nor abuse-related/caused by humans, but there's a sad animal backstory in this.

* * *

Keith stopped and stared, then blinked a few times and shook his head. Maybe he hadn't fully shaken off his nap yet.

"Shiro? Honey? What is that?" Keith asked gently, coming out of the bedroom doorway.

"It's a kitten!" Shiro said happily, holding out the little mostly-black bundle of fluff.

"Aha. I see that." Keith agreed, nodding.

"It's adorable!" Shiro said, smiling hopefully.

"It is." Keith reached out as the kitten stretched its tiny, smooshy paws into thin air clumsily, and got a fingertip full of needle-pricks for his trouble.

"It needs a home, baby." Shiro said, his eyes wide and almost pleading. Keith tugged, very lightly, at the kitten's hold on his fingertip, and it mewed, claws sinking in deeper.

"Honey, you are a dog person." Keith said, trying to control his amusement. Shiro's pleading eyes widened a little further, still hopeful. Keith sighed shallowly, flicking his thumb against one of the tiny ears. "Where did it come from?" he asked as it mewed.

"But she- It's precious! And . . . it needs somewhere to go." Shiro said, his mouth twisting. "I brought it- Well, Iverson said it couldn't stay in the experimental hangar - and it's _dangerous_ there, it could have got hurt - but it ran in there with its siblings a couple of days ago, and it was the only one left, and. . ."

Keith rested his fingers over his lover's mouth. "Okay! Okay." he said soothingly. "It's . . . really tiny, what about its mother?" he asked, frowning slightly.

Shiro looked _really_ sad now, and Keith braced himself. "That's why- The kittens, they ran into the hangar when we had it open - Smithson nearly _exploded_ himself, the-" he broke off, shaking his head. "Their momma fought off a ranch dog from the open property next door, I guess."

Keith's stomach felt heavy and cold. "Fought it off?" he asked, unconsciously rubbing his thumb gently over the back of one tiny, soft paw.

"Partially. It didn't get the kittens." Shiro said, swallowing. "A few of us ran out there when we heard the screaming, but the momma cat was already- When we found her." he said awkwardly, tears pooling in his eyes.

"Oh, honey." Keith curled a hand around Shiro's.

"I know I shouldn't have brought her- it home, I mean. . ." Shiro swallowed. "But . . . she needed somewhere to go, and I couldn't just- We- That is. . ."

"We needed a kitten?" Keith asked wryly, inspecting the tiny claws. They were so soft they barely dug into his skin beyond the light prickle. "Is it a boy or a girl?" he asked, looking up at his lover again. "Shiro?"

Shiro was just looking at him with a slightly off expression, lips faintly curled and eyes - still wet - warm. "Oh, uh, not sure. It's really little."

"It is." Keith agreed, holding out his hands. Shiro happily passed the kitten into them, where it barely filled his cupped hands together. Shiro came closer, almost wrapping himself around Keith and looking down at the ball of shadow-fluff in his hands. "Is it healthy? Is it even _old enough_ to be away from its mother?" he asked worriedly as he cradled it closer.

"I don't know about that, but Ki Hyun gave it some chicken earlier and it ate it without hesitation." Shiro said, smiling sheepishly. "It hasn't been sick?"

Keith raised his eyebrows. "Well that's good." He looked at the kitten, which was leaning sleepily on his thumb. "We'll need . . . cat things. And a vet to check out the kitten and make sure it's healthy . . . and maybe tell us whether it's a boy or a girl."

"That would be good." Shiro said, one hand sliding up Keith's back. He leaned his brow against Keith's, letting out a slow breath. "Thanks, baby."

"For what?" Keith said, rubbing gently behind one tiny black ear.

". . .not being mad, I suppose." Shiro said sheepishly.

Keith snorted and leaned up, kissing Shiro lightly. "No." he said, bumping their noses together playfully. "I like cats, and I already knew you were a soft touch."

"Do you?" Shiro asked, and Keith raised an eyebrow. "Like cats. Particularly, I mean."

Keith huffed, lips curving into a faint smile. "I do. I've not _had_ one before," he paused, mouth twisting; he hadn't ever owned a cat for obvious reasons, Keith's life had always been a bit of a mess before the school that had led to his current job, before Shiro, "but I do. They're independent, quiet, hunters, and most of the ones I've seen have been clever. This one's only a baby but. . ."

"They're you." Shiro said lightly, nudging his nose against Keith's again, grinning. "Keith in tiny, furry form."

Keith huffed again, looking away, turning his attention back down to the kitten. It rolled over in his hands and purred, tiny paws flexing, then yawned. "It's adorable." Keith said softly. "And so _teeny_."

Shiro kissed his temple and cupped his big hand over the kitten's head, gently petting its fluffy fur and stroking his thumb across the tiny nose.

* * *

A week later the kitten had been seen by a vet, treated for worms and ear mites, and he was deemed officially on his way to being healthy. He had also taken to sleeping in a shoebox - which Shiro had padded with an old sweatshirt - that sat beside their dresser.

His paws still weren't quite shaped like proper paws and his tail was thin and tapered, looking more like an exclamation point than a proper cat tail, but his jumps were getting . . . slightly more coordinated - or, well, they were getting more _energetic_ , anyway.

He was a determined climber, too, scaling their shoulders whenever he was held. When he made it to Keith's shoulder, and could balance there - claws sinking into Keith's shirt or his skin beneath - he occupied himself with chewing on the ends of Keith's hair. Keith had thus far failed in all attempts to dissuade him from the apparent fascination.

Shiro had slipped into calling him Kuro in the few days before they saw a vet, though they had intended to hold off on naming the kitten, and it had stuck. He tried to say it wasn't a proper name really but the argument was difficult to pose when Keith only snickered and pointed out _his own name_.

And then Keith somehow managed to train Kuro to answer to that name - although he still answered to 'teeny mew', which was what Pidge had called him from the first time she met him, a few days after Shiro had brought him home.

A tiny mew accompanied by a jingling bell drew his attention, and Shiro bent to collect the fluffy patch of shadow from the kitchen floor. Then he looked around for Keith, because Kuro was still too small to be allowed to roam free, and last he'd seen the kitten Kuro had been shut in their bedroom with his still-sleeping lover.

Keith was leaning in the doorway, sleepy-eyed and smiling, his hair fluffed up from his pillow. "Morning." he said softly, pushing away from the wall.

"Good morning, baby." Shiro murmured, drawing Keith in for a light kiss when he came close enough. Keith made a low sound of contentment and leaned into the caress, then startled back abruptly, hands coming up to catch Kuro as he _flung_ himself across the narrow space between them. He clawed his way over Keith's bare collarbones and towards his shoulder but quickly began to fall. ". . .that was ambitious."

"Yes. Ow." Keith unhooked one small claw from his neck. "Good morning, mew." He tapped Kuro's nose with one finger, then let him scramble up to balance on Keith's shoulder properly, with a little supportive nudge. "I think I'm more awake now." he added wryly.

Shiro chuckled, reaching out and smoothing a strand of Keith's hair out of his face. "I imagine so. That's a new trick."

"Beats 'attack dad's ear when he's sleeping' Keith said, lips pursing.

Shiro tried very hard not to laugh, but Keith's raised eyebrow promised he saw the reaction anyway. "If you say so." he said simply, and Keith hummed contemplatively. He caught Kuro as he began to slip, and passed him off to Shiro without warning, walking past and heading for the fridge.

Shiro was a little startled by the sudden ball of fur against his chest, but he adjusted easily, and the kitten took being passed abruptly between his 'parents' once again with equanimity. He wrapped his paws around Shiro's fingers and started to gnaw industriously on the side of his hand.

Shiro winced a little, but let Kuro teethe and left sorting out breakfast to his lover.

* * *

Kitten floof Kuro - his name means 'black' in Japanese (as you likely know from the fandom name for the dark!Shiro alter ego)  
My friend M is responsible for Kuro-kitten's name. As she suggested it when I wondered what to call the kitten, with absolutely no shiftiness whatsoever I'm sure. XD

Kuro's backstory here is (sadly) based in reality; I adopted a kitten in November last year who went through almost exactly what Shiro describes. (She's female, and grey and white, though. Her name is Miku.) Replace 'hangar' etc. with 'construction site' and she was hiding out in a tile shop. A friend of a friend inspects construction sites and found her, brought her home, and commenced panicking about finding her a home. Six hours later she was in mine.


	2. Puppy

"Uh. Keith? Baby?" Shiro said tentatively, pausing at the doorway into the living room.

"Yes honey?" Keith asked with a placid smile. That _alone_ would have tipped him off - Keith's smiles could be many things, but not _placid_.

"What's that?" Shiro asked, inching closer to where his lover was kneeling over a box. A box that was moving slightly.

Keith grinned, tipping his head and beckoning Shiro closer. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise if I just _tell_ you, would it?" he asked, eyes bright. "Come here and open it, find out for yourself." he invited.

Shiro obligingly came close and knelt beside him, gently nudging the box. "Surprise?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and eyeing Keith sideways. "What is it . . . for?"

"The last surprise you brought me." Keith said, expression sliding almost into a smirk.

Shiro blinked, trying to remember, but carefully hooked the fingers of his left hand around one of the top flaps of the box. He pulled it back and leaned over, only to freeze when something warm and damp pressed against his fingers.

He opened the box and a grey-white puffball bounced up, then flopped out of view. He pulled away the cardboard flaps as Keith laughed, and the-

Puppy. There was a puppy in the box, clumsily bouncing back up to its paws and bracing the front ones on the side to get closer to Shiro. Shiro reached in, petting what proved to be thick, wool-soft fur, and got another warm-soft-wet swipe across his wrist, which was somewhat less alarming when he could see it was the puppy licking him.

"You- You brought home a puppy?" Shiro said, not quite believing it. "In a _box_?"

"I didn't bring him home in the box." Keith said, and Shiro dragged his gaze away from the animal to look at his lover. That had not been- Keith shrugged slightly, eyes not meeting Shiro's. "I brought him home in a carrier. That was sort of obvious, though, so . . . I put him in the box to surprise you."

"It worked." Shiro said faintly, looking back down. "How- I- You brought home a puppy?" he repeated.

"You- Don't you like him?" Keith asked softly, and Shiro splayed a hand almost protectively across the puppy's shoulder.

"Of course I do! It's- He's a _puppy_!" Shiro said, shocked. Keith relaxed a little, though he was laughing now. "It's just- You _brought home_ a _puppy_ as a . . . surprise?"

"Well you brought home a surprise kitten." Keith said dryly, eyes flicking to the hallway, which was probably where Kuro was, down in their bedroom maybe. Shiro glanced at the puppy and suddenly wasn't surprised that the kitten hadn't been in the front window when he returned home.

"That . . . is true." Shiro allowed, helping the puppy, who was hopping against the edge of the box, to get _out_ of the box. "Was it- Did you _find_ him?"

". . .yes." Keith said, looking away again.

"Keith?" Shiro prompted, and Keith sighed. His lips quirked towards a smile as he looked down at the puppy, though.

"I found him . . . at the shelter. I went looking for a puppy. For you." Keith admitted, and Shiro looked at him, surprised. "I love Kuro," he said, smile softening, and Shiro grinned, "and so do you, but," he paused, letting out a soft breath of a laugh, "he's a you, in fluffier, smaller form." he said teasingly, reaching out and tugging Shiro's forelock playfully. "Well, smaller for now." he added, smile going crooked.

Shiro laughed, ducking his head, and Keith rubbed his knuckles lightly over Shiro's cheek. "What, eh, what is he?" he asked curiously, running his hand down the puppy's back as he sniffed at Keith's knee.

"He's a big ball of fluff." Keith said, lips curving fondly as he looked at the puppy. He tugged one floppy ear and the puppy lifted one foreleg, pawing at his arm. "They tell me he'll still be like that when he's fully grown, just . . . even bigger."

Shiro nodded, catching hold of the puppy's other paw as it waved aimlessly in the air above him. "How big is he going to get?" Shiro asked, gently rubbing the soft paw pad.

". . .big." Keith said shiftily, and Shiro's brows rose.

"Keith?" Shiro said, looking up at his lover.

"He's a great Pyrenees - mostly - and he could get to be, er-" Keith held up a hand, just a bit higher than his own shoulder with him sitting on the floor. "We have enough space, and he was," he paused, "sweet, and I thought. . ."

Shiro smiled, looking back down as small paws slid over his crossed legs and the puppy nearly tumbled head-first into his lap. "He's adorable." he said, picking the puppy up and settling him a little less precariously. He immediately slid sideways, nearly falling back off Shiro's lap and onto the floor, but didn't seem to notice, yawning big.

He put his head down on Shiro's knee and sighed, a warm, fluffy, content lump.

Shiro's heart melted.

"Yes, I thought you'd like him." Keith said, his voice warm and soft. He leaned over and kissed Shiro's cheek, and Shiro met his eyes, smiling. Keith nudged his nose gently against Shiro's, smiling back.

* * *

"Bopul- No, Bopul, _ow_ ," Shiro said clearly, "stop!"

Keith put down his coffee and went to peek into the living room. Bopul was lying on the couch with Shiro, who was trying to push him back with one hand on his muzzle - likely because the other hand was caught in Bopul's jaws, which were chewing determinedly.

" _Stop._ " Shiro said again, looking helpless and a little frustrated, pushing at the puppy's nose gently and flexing his trapped fingers.

It was pretty tough - probably tougher than Shiro's other hand - but it probably wasn't good for either the prosthetic's fine joints _or_ the puppy's teeth for this to continue.

Keith slipped into the room. " _Bopul._ " he said firmly, and caught the top half of the puppy's muzzle in one hand, fingers and thumb curling over it and pushing his lip in past his teeth. He pulled up with a gentle grip and Bopul fussed, flailing his paws a bit, but his jaw loosened, and Shiro quickly withdrew his hand, flexing his fingers.

"Thank you." Shiro said, with a sigh. "How. . ."

"He can't close his jaw if it's held like this." Keith said, pulling Bopul back just a little more. He tilted Bopul's head up to show Shiro. "And his teeth can't get my fingers without catching his own mouth. It doesn't hurt him _or_ you to grip him this way and you can get his mouth open and still get whatever he's got out of his jaws. Or, er, get your other hand free." he added, with a wry smile, as he released Bopul.

Shiro pinked faintly. Bopul licked his fingers, and Keith petted his head apologetically.

"Er, 'ow'?" Keith quoted tentatively. Shiro's prosthetic had some very, very distant hints of sensation, but as far as he understood it, it wasn't really 'pain' - or much of anything other than hints, vaguely like pressure from what Shiro said.

Keith didn't press him for more detail and never had; Shiro talked to Keith about it when he needed or wanted to, and he was open with Keith's curiosity and concern, but it was a subject Keith very much didn't want to become uncomfortable for his lover and he left it up to Shiro how much to say and when.

Shiro shrugged. "He's learning 'ow' means to be gentle or to let go, so I thought. . . Besides," he flexed his prosthetic hand again, "if it was anyone else, it _would_ have hurt."

Keith nodded, moving around to Shiro's other side and sitting on the arm of the couch. He rubbed Shiro's shoulder absently. "Are you all right?" he asked, and Shiro reached over - with his right hand - and squeezed Keith's thigh just above the knee. His hand was still covered in dog drool; Keith wrinkled his nose.

"I'm all right, he didn't do any damage. I just didn't want him to keep going until he _did_. Or learn it's okay to chew on fingers, mine or anyone else's." Shiro explained, leaning against Keith's side.

"That's a good lesson to learn." Keith said absently, and Shiro made a low sound in his throat. "I mean, not to chew on fingers." he clarified, aware that wasn't actually what Shiro had said. "Although learning 'ow' means 'back off' is also good." He reached down and lightly pressed a finger to Bopul's nose, getting licked for his trouble.

Bopul had actually begun learning that one on his own; pained sounds were probably a close enough range across species for him to understand. He was a smart dog.

Shiro leaned a little more against Keith, head resting on his shoulder, and Keith kissed his lover's temple, reaching up to rub his back, and then curl his arm around Shiro's shoulders. "Tired, honey?" he asked, and Shiro shook his head a little, but didn't lift it.

Bopul edged a little more across Shiro's lap again, licking at his right wrist. Keith watched him sharply, ready to stop him if he tried to go back to chewing. Shiro didn't appear to have noticed - it was probably a very light touch, and Keith suspected from the angle of Shiro's head that he'd closed his eyes.

"Just comfortable." Shiro said, squeezing Keith's thigh again and sliding his left arm further across Keith's legs. Keith hummed, tilting his head to rest his cheek against Shiro's hair, tightening his arm around his lover in a gentle hug.

* * *

Puppy floof Bopul - name means 'fluff' in Korean (in this continuity Keith's part Korean; my headcanon is fluid)

Bopul-puppy's name is entirely on me (and I was tempted to name him Sangchu, which means lettuce, after the dog in To The Beautiful You).

It should probably go without saying, but surprising your significant other with a pet is actually not generally speaking the greatest idea. . At least on purpose.

Shiro does indeed have a prosthetic arm still in this domestic AU, though obviously it was a different incident that saw the loss of his arm. (The prosthetic itself is somewhere beyond the advancements we have in cutting edge modern ones today, and somewhere less than the scientific wonder that the Galra tech arm is.) And . . . this is going to be a series. Call it 'Cats & Dogs, Living Together' (courtesy of my friend M) and expect another few shorts for it this month.


End file.
